Card reader

ABSTRACT

In a card reader of the type having contact springs which read through the holes in a card, an improved arrangement of the springs. The springs are grouped in two opposing banks so that as they are deflected against a platen in reading a card, the sidewise forces exerted by the springs are cancelled out leaving only a thrust perpendicular to the platen. This simplifies the mounting and guiding of the platen toward and away from the springs. Another aspect of the invention lies in an improved frame and guide arrangement in which the springs and platen are mounted.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Bryce Wilson Blair Hershey, Pa. [21] Appl. No. 724,413 [22] Filed Apr. 26, 1968 [45] Patented June 22, 1971 [73] Assignee AMP Incorporated Harrisburg, Pa.

[54] CARD READER 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 235/61.11A, 20 [51] 1nt.Cl H01h-t3/08, G06k 7/06 [50] Field oiSearch ..235/61.111, 61.113; 200/46; 340/149 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,395,557 2/1946 Leathers 235/61.l11 2,501,274 3/1950 Hamilton 200/46 X Primary Examiner-Daryl W. Cook Assistant Examiner-Robert M. Kilgore Attorneys-Curtis, Morris and Safford, Marshall M.

Holcombe, William Hintze, William J. Keating, Frederick W. Raring, John R. Hopkins, Adrian .1. La Rue and Jay L. Seitchik,

ABSTRACT: ln a card reader of the type having contact springs which read through the holes in a card, an improved arrangement of the springs. The springs are grouped in two opposing banks so that as they are deflected against a platen in reading a card, the sidewise forces exerted by the springs are cancelled out leaving only a thrust perpendicular to the platen. This simplifies the mounting and guiding of the platen toward and away from the springs. Another aspect of the invention lies in an improved frame and guide. arrangement in which the springs and platen are mounted.

CARD READER This invention relates to an improved reading device for simultaneously reading all of the holes in a tabulator card and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide improved construction and lower manufacturing cost for such a card reader.

A further object is to provide a reader having structural features which make it more rugged and reliable.

Still another object is to provide a card reader having improved operating characteristics.

These and other objects will in part be understood from and in part pointed out in the following description.

A typical tabulator card can have up to 960 small, closely spaced holes in it. To sense or read" these holes simultaneously requires a device having highly precise sensing elements. A reader of the kind to which the present invention relates has 960 individual spring fingers for these sensing elements, each spring being able to project through a hole in a card and make an electrical connection with a respective contact on a platen underneath the card being read. Now, for reliable operation it is necessary that each spring finger be properly aligned within a few thousandths of an inch over the center of the hole position it senses, and the spring must move through the hole and wipe against the opposite contact with sufficient downward and sidewise wiping force to establish a reliable, low ohmage electrical connection. All the springs should bear evenly and with substantially the same force; this means that in addition to precision mounting of the springs in a matrix, the frame of the reader in which the matrix is mounted must be rugged and very accurately constructed. The present invention provides features of construction which simplify and reduce the cost of manufacture of a reader and yet give improved operation and reliability.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the sensing" spring fingers of a card reader are uniquely arranged in a rigid matrix. When the springs are pressed into engagement with the contact surfaces on the platen opposite them, in addition to exerting a force downward, each spring flexes laterally and hence also exerts a sidewise force on the platen. The springs are arranged in two opposite banks in the matrix so that the sum of' the sidewise forces produced by the springs in one bank equals and balances against the corresponding forces produced by the springs in the other bank. Thus the direction of spring force is substantially only perpendicular to the plane of the platen. As will appear this results in more easi ly and accurately controlled movement of the card platen toward the springs and matrix when a card is being read.

This new card reader also includes a simplified frame which reduces the weight and size of the reader and at the same time gives improved precision. The matrix in which the sensing springs are held is rigidly mounted on the frame with great accuracy of alignment. Opposite the matrix is the card platen, which is movably mounted on the frame to be advanced toward and retracted from the matrix and springs during a card reading operation. The in and out movement of the platen must be controlled to within a few thousandths of an inch and the platen and matrix must remain parallel and in proper edge alignment relative to each other. However, through the use of a new cam and guide arrangement for the platen, and because of the improved design of the frame and the balancing out of sidewise forces produced by the sensing springs, this high degree of precision is obtained. The end result of these structural improvements is easier and more reliable operation of the reader, along with lower cost of manufacture.

A better understanding of the invention together with a fuller appreciation of its many advantages will best be gained from the following description given in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa card reader embodying features of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section view taken as indicted by lines 2-2 in FIG. I,

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged portion of FIG. 2 showing several of the sensing springs and indicating in dotted line how they deflect when in card-reading position,

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged detail of the card feeding mechanism taken as indicated by lines 44 in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a portion of the card reader.

The card reader 10 shown in FIG. I comprises a main frame 12 which is adapted to be fastened by means of two front flange members 14 and 16 to a panel 18 shown in dotted outline. Frame 12 is, for example, a rigid metal casting having great strength and rigidity, yet by virtue of its open design, light weight. Projecting through a cutout in the panel and at: tached to the frame is a card-receiving guide 20, which may for example be of molded plastic. A standard tabulator card 22 is adapted to be manually inserted end first into the guide as indicated by the dotted lines. The card is pushed partly but not all the way into the reader; thereafter moving the crank 24 180 from the full line to the dotted line position shown automatically feeds the card into reading position and actuates the sensing mechanism in the reader.

As seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reader 10 includes a sensing spring matrix 26 which is rigidly and accurately fastened to frame 12 by front and rear cross rails 28 and 30. Above the matrix is a rigid, platelikc platen 32 which is carried by the frame and is movable down toward the sensing springs. During this movement, platen 32 is maintained parallel to the spring matrix by an improved guide arrangement shortly to be described. The platen is normally urged up, away from the spring matrix by four compression springs positioned by frame-anchored shoulder screws respectively under the four comers of the platen, one such spring 34 being visible at the left rear corner in FIG. I.

As seen best in FIGS. 2 and 3, matrix 26 includes a number of sensing springs 36, the shanks of which are firmly anchored in the body of the matrix, and the ends of which extend upward at roughly a 45 angle. The upper tips of the springs lie in a plane parallel to the underside of platen 32. The tips of springs 36 are designed to project through the holes 37 in a card 22 being read to make electrical contact with conductive areas on a printed circuit board 38 mounted on the underside of the platen. In doing so, the springs are bent down to the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 3. As explained above, the deflection of each spring produces a sidewise as well as an upward thrust. It should be noted that card 22 is held closely against printed circuit board 38 by a Mylar sheet 40 which has holes through it in each position where a hole in card 22 may occur.

Now, as shown in FIG. 2 springs 36 are arranged in two banks, those springs shown on the left of the centerline having their ends bent upward toward the right, those on the right having their ends bent upward toward the left. When all of the springs (up to 1,120 in total) are deflected, the sidewise forces of those in the left bank are balanced against the corresponding forces of those in the right bank. Thus the forces opposing the downward movement of platen 32 are substantially entirely perpendicular to it. This fact simplifies the maintaining of the left and right alignment of the platen relative to the springs as the platen is moved downward.

The crank 24 shown in FIG. 1 is affixed to the forward end of a shaft 42, the near end of which is journaled in a bushing 44 pressed into frame 12. The rear end of the shaft extends through a similar bushing 46 (see FIG. 5) in the frame. Shaft 42 lies along the front to rear centerline of the frame. Mounted on the shaft closely adjacent the front and rear bushings respectively, are a front roller cam 50 and a rear roller cam 52. The outer race of each cam (see FIG. 2) bears against the top of platen 32, and when shaft 42 is rotated clockwise as seen in FIG. 2, the cams move the platen down. The cams are formed so that just before the crank reaches the dotted line position in FIG. 1, the platen reaches its downward limit of travel. Thereafter, as the crank is moved finally into the dotted position, the cams now let the platen move back up a few thousandths of an inch. This gives a desired double-wiping of the sensing springs against the contact surfaces on the platen. This double-wiping action, which is not of itself part of the present invention, is facilitated by the improved platen guiding arrangement now to be described.

During its downward (and upward) movement the platen is held properly aligned by a single pair of vertical pins 54, the upper ends of which are tightly pressed respectively into the right and left sides of frame 12 near its midpoint. The platen itself carries on its left and right sides, respectively, a pair of plastic guide sleeves 56 which slide along the pins 54. Each sleeve 56, which is made for example of Delrin plastic, extends through a hole in the platen and is retained by its own head flange 57 and by a snap ring 58. A slight amount of play or looseness in the mounting of each sleeve is provided so that they will not bind in sliding up and down pins 54. This new guide arrangement is very smooth in its action and has very low breakaway" or starting friction. Thus, the platen can more easily be cammed down against the sensing springs and on reaching the limit of downward movement raised precisely a few thousandths of an inch to give a double-wiping action of the springs against the contact surfaces on the platen.

As was mentioned earlier, after a card 22 is part-way inserted in reader 10, the card is thereafter drawn into reading position when crank 24 is actuated. To this end, and as seen best in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, there is provided near the rear of shaft 42 a friction roller assembly generally indicated at 60. Assembly 60 includes a bracket 62 mounted on the top of platen 32 closely adjacent shaft 42, and across the top of a eutout or hole 63 in the platen. Pressed into the upper end of the bracket is a stub shaft 64 on which is pivoted a segment gear 66. The gear is urged forward from the position shown by a tension spring 68, one end of which is hooked onto the gear, the other end of which is hooked on a pin 70 driven into the platen. The front edge of gear 66 is engaged by a pin 72 extending out from the side of shaft 24. The teeth of segment gear 66 engage a small diameter gear 74 (see FIG. 2) which is fixed on a shaft 76 (see FIG. 4) journaled in bracket 62. Fixed on the other end of shaft 76 is a rubber tired roller wheel 78, the rim of which bears against a pinch member 80. The latter, shown best in FIG. 4, is mounted in a hole in matrix 26 and is spring-urged upward against wheel 78. When a card is inserted into the reader, the front edge of the card comes between the wheel and member 80. Thereafter, as crank 24 is turned (clockwise in FIG. I) segment gear 66 is pulled forward by spring 68, and wheel 78 rotated counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 4. This rotation of wheel 78 pulls the card all the way into the reader. In similar fashion, the card is ejected from the reader when the crank is returned to the solid line position of FIG. 1.

As seen in FIG. 5, the rear end of shaft 42 extends beyond the rear offrame 12. This rear portion of the shaft carries a pin 82 which engages a stop pin 84 or a stop pin 86, both of which are pressed into frame 12. Adjacent pin 86 is the arm 88 of a microswitch 89. When shaft 42 is rotated counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 5, its pin 82 contacts arm 88 and actuates switch 89just before the pin reaches stop pin 86. This way of extending shaft 42 beyond frame 12 and of limiting the rotation of the shaft by means of pins 82, 84, and 86, facilitates coupling onto the shaft an optional motor drive (not shown).

In addition to the balancing of sidewise forces obtained by grouping sensing springs 36 in two banks, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this arrangement also lends itself to the independent wiring of the two banks. It will be noted that in addition to the six left and six right rows of sensing springs 36 shown in FIG. 2, there is an outer left row of springs 90 and an outer right row of springs 92. Springs 90 and 92, which can be identical to springs 36, do not sense holes in a card 22. Instead these springs make input connections with contact surfaces on card 38, springs 90 providing input connections (through card 38) to the left bank of springs 36, and springs 92 providing input connections for the right bank of springs 36.

The above description is intended in illustration and not in limitation of the invention. Various changes or modifications in the embodiment described may occur to those skilled in the art, and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth.

What I claim:

ll. In a card reader of the character described, a frame, a card-holding platen, a generally rectangular spring-holding matrix, said matrix having mounted in it in precise closely spaced relation a multitude of sensing springs, each spring having a contact tip carried on a flexible arm extending at an angle from a shank, the shanks of said springs being fixed in said matrix, the tips of said springs lying substantially in a plane parallel to said platen, said springs being grouped in two opposing banks in said platen, and guide means carried by said frame for moving said platen and matrix relatively toward and away from each other in a linear and substantially parallel relation, one bank of said springs is arranged on the left side of and with its arms extending toward a longitudinal centerline of said reader, the other bank of springs being placed in mirror image on the right side of said centerline.

2. The arrangement in claim I in which said frame has a longitudinal centerline and in which said guide means comprises two guide pins, each mounted on said frame respectively equidistant on the right and left sides of said centerline, said platen carrying two guide sleeves which respectively engage said pins, and cam means carried on said frame for moving said platen up and down.

3. In a card reader of the character described, a frame in the form ofa rigid member, such as a casting having two side and two cross beams lying generally in a plane and defining a rectangular enclosure having longitudinal and lateral centerlines, said frame at the corners thereof having four short legs, a platen which is a flat rigid plate on one side of which is mounted a contact surface and a card reading mask, a generally rectangular spring holding matrix being mounted on said legs generally parallel to the plane of said beams, said matrix having mounted on it in precise closely spaced relation a multitude of sensing springs, each spring having a contact tip carried on a flexible arm extending at an angle from a shank, the shanks of said springs being fixed in said matrix, the tips of said springs lying substantially in a plane parallel to said platen, said springs being grouped in two opposing banks in said platen, and guide means carried by said frame for moving said platen and matrix relatively toward and away from each other in a linear and substantially parallel relation, one bank of said springs being arranged on the left side of and with its arms extending toward a longitudinal centerline of said reader, and the other bank of springs being placed in mirror image on the right side of said centerline; said guide means further including a right and a left guide pin, each of said pins being rigidly mounted in a respective one of said side beams on said lateral centerline and equidistant from said longitudinal centerline, said pins being perpendicular to said matrix; said platen having its contact surface toward said matrix and carrying right and left guide sleeves which engage said pins and slide smoothly therealong; rotary cam means including a shaft journaled inbetween the frame cross beams and lying generally along said longitudinal centerline, and front and rear cams mounted on said shaft and bearing against the outer face of said platen, and spring means urging said platen and matrix apart.

4. In a card reader combination of the character described, a said platen, a sensing spring head, and an improved frame and guiding assembly for supporting said platen and head in precise alignment and for moving them toward and away from each other, said assembly including a rigid member having right and left beams and front and rear cross beams defining a rectangular enclosure having longitudinal and lateral centerlines, said member having at the comers thereof four short legs, said head being mounted on said legs substantially parallel to said beams, a right and a left guide pin each of which is rigidly mounted in a respective side beam on said lateral centerline and equidistant from said longitudinal centerline, said pins extending perpendicularly toward said matrix, said platen carrying right and left guide bearings which engage and slide along said pins, and rotary cam means including a shaft journaled through said front and rear beams generally along said longitudinal centerline, said cam means bearing against said platen and moving it up and down when said shaft is rotated; the card reader combination above further including improved means for automatically feeding and ejecting a card as said shaft is rotated, said means including a bearing bracket mounted on said platen closely adjacent said shaft near the rear thereof, said platen having a cutout beneath said bracket, a short axle joumaled in said bracket beneath said shaft and at right angles thereto, a drive wheel mounted on one end of said axle substantially beneath said shaft to frictionally engage a card, a small gear mounted on the other end ofsaid axle, a segment gear mounted on a pin in the upper part of said bracket and having teeth engaging said small gear, said segment gear having a front edge extending downward and forward, a cam pin extending outward from said shaft and engaging the front edge of said segment gear, and spring means urging said segment gear forward against said camp pin.

5. In a card reader of the character described, a sensing spring assembly comprising a generally rectangular insulating matrix having a centerline, and a plurality of sensing springs mounted in said matrix, each of said springs having a shank, a springy arm, and a contact tip on the end of said arm, said arm extending at an angle outward and upward from said shank, said springs being closely mounted in said matrix with their shanks embedded generally perpendicularly through said matrix and with their arms extending outward and upward and their tips lying substantially in a single plane parallel to said matrix, said springs being arranged in two substantially equal groups on each side of said centerline with the arms of the springs of each group extending toward said centerline.

6. [n a card reader of the character described, a card-receiving platen, a sensing spring head, and an improved frame and guiding assembly for supporting said platen and head in precise alignment and for moving them toward and away from each other, said assembly including a rigid member having right and left side beams and front and rear cross beams defining a rectangular enclosure having longitudinal and lateral centerlines, said member at the corners thereof having four short legs, said head being mounted on said legs substantially parallel to said beams, a right and a left guide pin each of which is rigidly mounted in a respective side beam on said lateral centerline and equidistant from said longitudinal centerline, said pins extending perpendicularly toward said matrix, said platen carrying right and left guide bearings which engage and slide along said pins, and rotary cam means including a shaft joumaled through said front and rear beams generally along said longitudinal centerline, said cam means bearing against said platen and moving it up and down when said shaft is rotated.

7. The arrangement in claim 6 wherein the rear end of said shaft extends through the rear beam of said frame, a stop pin carried by the end of said shaft, and two fixed pins on each side of said shaft extending from the rear of said rear beam, said stop pin in turn engaging each of said fixed pins to limit the rotation of said shaft.

32 3? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,586,832 Dated June 22, 1971 Invento1-( BRYCE WILSON BLAIR It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent: are hereby corrected as shown below:

F- Column A, claim line 61, delete "sa id" and insert therefor card-receiving Same column, same claim, line 65, after "left" insert s id's (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. Attesting Officer ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Acting Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a card reader of the character described, a frame, a cardholding platen, a generally rectangular spring-holding matrix, said matrix having mounted in it in precise closely spaced relation a multitude of sensing springs, each spring having a contact tip carried on a flexible arm extending at an angle from a shank, the shanks of said springs being fixed in said matrix, the tips of said springs lying substantially in a plane parallel to said platen, said springs being grouped in two opposing banks in said platen, and guide means carried by said frame for moving said platen and matrix relatively toward and away from each other in a linear and substantially parallel relation, one bank of said springs is arranged on the left side of and with its arms extending toward a longitudinal centerline of said reader, the other bank of springs being placed in mirror image on the right side of said centerline.
 2. The arrangement in claim 1 in which said frame has a longitudinal centerline and in which said guide means comprises two guide pins, each mounted on said frame respectively equidistant on the right and left sides of said centerline, said platen carrying two guide sleeves which respectively engage said pins, and cam means carried on said frame for moving said platen up and down.
 3. In a card reader of the character described, a frame in the form of a rigid member, such as a casting having two side and two cross beams lying generally in a plane and defining a rectanGular enclosure having longitudinal and lateral centerlines, said frame at the corners thereof having four short legs, a platen which is a flat rigid plate on one side of which is mounted a contact surface and a card reading mask, a generally rectangular spring holding matrix being mounted on said legs generally parallel to the plane of said beams, said matrix having mounted on it in precise closely spaced relation a multitude of sensing springs, each spring having a contact tip carried on a flexible arm extending at an angle from a shank, the shanks of said springs being fixed in said matrix, the tips of said springs lying substantially in a plane parallel to said platen, said springs being grouped in two opposing banks in said platen, and guide means carried by said frame for moving said platen and matrix relatively toward and away from each other in a linear and substantially parallel relation, one bank of said springs being arranged on the left side of and with its arms extending toward a longitudinal centerline of said reader, and the other bank of springs being placed in mirror image on the right side of said centerline; said guide means further including a right and a left guide pin, each of said pins being rigidly mounted in a respective one of said side beams on said lateral centerline and equidistant from said longitudinal centerline, said pins being perpendicular to said matrix; said platen having its contact surface toward said matrix and carrying right and left guide sleeves which engage said pins and slide smoothly therealong; rotary cam means including a shaft journaled inbetween the frame cross beams and lying generally along said longitudinal centerline, and front and rear cams mounted on said shaft and bearing against the outer face of said platen, and spring means urging said platen and matrix apart.
 4. In a card reader combination of the character described, a said platen, a sensing spring head, and an improved frame and guiding assembly for supporting said platen and head in precise alignment and for moving them toward and away from each other, said assembly including a rigid member having right and left beams and front and rear cross beams defining a rectangular enclosure having longitudinal and lateral centerlines, said member having at the corners thereof four short legs, said head being mounted on said legs substantially parallel to said beams, a right and a left guide pin each of which is rigidly mounted in a respective side beam on said lateral centerline and equidistant from said longitudinal centerline, said pins extending perpendicularly toward said matrix, said platen carrying right and left guide bearings which engage and slide along said pins, and rotary cam means including a shaft journaled through said front and rear beams generally along said longitudinal centerline, said cam means bearing against said platen and moving it up and down when said shaft is rotated; the card reader combination above further including improved means for automatically feeding and ejecting a card as said shaft is rotated, said means including a bearing bracket mounted on said platen closely adjacent said shaft near the rear thereof, said platen having a cutout beneath said bracket, a short axle journaled in said bracket beneath said shaft and at right angles thereto, a drive wheel mounted on one end of said axle substantially beneath said shaft to frictionally engage a card, a small gear mounted on the other end of said axle, a segment gear mounted on a pin in the upper part of said bracket and having teeth engaging said small gear, said segment gear having a front edge extending downward and forward, a cam pin extending outward from said shaft and engaging the front edge of said segment gear, and spring means urging said segment gear forward against said camp pin.
 5. In a card reader of the character described, a sensing spring assembly comprising a generally rectangular insulating matrix having a centerline, and a plurality of sensing springs mountEd in said matrix, each of said springs having a shank, a springy arm, and a contact tip on the end of said arm, said arm extending at an angle outward and upward from said shank, said springs being closely mounted in said matrix with their shanks embedded generally perpendicularly through said matrix and with their arms extending outward and upward and their tips lying substantially in a single plane parallel to said matrix, said springs being arranged in two substantially equal groups on each side of said centerline with the arms of the springs of each group extending toward said centerline.
 6. In a card reader of the character described, a card-receiving platen, a sensing spring head, and an improved frame and guiding assembly for supporting said platen and head in precise alignment and for moving them toward and away from each other, said assembly including a rigid member having right and left side beams and front and rear cross beams defining a rectangular enclosure having longitudinal and lateral centerlines, said member at the corners thereof having four short legs, said head being mounted on said legs substantially parallel to said beams, a right and a left guide pin each of which is rigidly mounted in a respective side beam on said lateral centerline and equidistant from said longitudinal centerline, said pins extending perpendicularly toward said matrix, said platen carrying right and left guide bearings which engage and slide along said pins, and rotary cam means including a shaft journaled through said front and rear beams generally along said longitudinal centerline, said cam means bearing against said platen and moving it up and down when said shaft is rotated.
 7. The arrangement in claim 6 wherein the rear end of said shaft extends through the rear beam of said frame, a stop pin carried by the end of said shaft, and two fixed pins on each side of said shaft extending from the rear of said rear beam, said stop pin in turn engaging each of said fixed pins to limit the rotation of said shaft. 